Electric fixture.



J. G. TURNBULL ELECTRIC FIXTURE.

APPLICAHON FILED SEP[. 12. I934 1 172 229 Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

5 SHEETS SHEET L I. G. TURNBULL.

ELECTRIC FixTURE.

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1,172,229.. Patented Feb 19w.

5 SHEETS SHEE'I' 2 l. G. HJ'RNBULL. ELECTRH) HXTURE APPLICAHON FILEDSEPT. 12. mm,

ljaten'ted Feb. 15, 1916.

5 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

.l. G. TURNBULL.

ELECTRIC FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. l9l4.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 UNITED STATES JOSEPH GEORGE TURNBULL, OF NEW PATENTOFFICE.

YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 TURNBULL ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC., ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK..

ELECTRIC FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 12, 1914. Serial No. 861,374.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Gnonon TURN- BULL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in New York city, in the county of Bronx, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricFixtures;

My invention relates more particularly to thatv class of electricfixtures which are known as outlet blocks or base blocks and the groundplate therefor.

The objects of my invention are to provide an outlet block which iseasily, cheaply and simply made and constructed and which permits of itsuse and adaption in an economical and ready manner to more forms anduses than those today known, furthermore to;

made to the drawings in which like letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts.

In-the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the outlet block Fig. 2 is asection along lines 2-201 Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section.

along lines.3--3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the supporting orground plate. Fig. 5 is a section on lines-55 of 4. Fig. 6- is a sectionof the clamping .nipple, and Fig. 7 is a section of thelock-nuttherefor. Fig. 8 shows in section the application of the groundplate and outlet block toa combination gas and electric fixture. Fig. 9is a section view of the metal molding, and Fig. 10 is anend viewthereof. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the outlet block and groundplate applied to a straight electric outlet box. Fig. 12 shows anapplication of the outlet block when applied to a tap for a' drop orportable light. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the base block, and Fig. 14 isa sectional "i e w' of the base block in use.

. In the. drawings A is the outlet. block which may be ma de ofporcelain, fiber, glass,

metal, glazed metal, or any non-conducting Patented Feb. 15,- 1916.

or glazed metal alloy of any shape desired.

Preferably the shape is in ponformity with.

that of the canopy to whi i'it may be attached. I have shown it circularonly as a matter of convenience. Y

In Figs. 1 and 2, B are channels through whichthe cables are inserted,the cables being preferably protected by metal molding.

It is believed the use of metal molding, such as is commonly known asthe hational metal molding, is quite well known in the art, but for thesake of clearnessv I have shown in Fig. 9 a sectional view, and in Fig-10 an end view of such molding, B desig' nating the upper and B thelowerstrips;

The cables may be inserted through the channels B and out through thecenter opening C of the block. A, or vice versa. 'Ghannels B-haveinwardly sloping bottom portions D, and the inner corners arev roundedso as to permit of themore ready insertion of the cables. .When thestrips of metal molding are inserted in the channels, the edge of lowerstrip Bf, comes in contact with the edge E whichacts as a stop, theupper strip B .comes in contact with-the edge F which similarly act as astop and. a consequent tight fit between the upper and lower strip isobtained. The stops Ev andF, by

insuring a tight fit between the strips of metal molding, obviate theuse of -.a bushing and permit of a smooth surface through.

which the cables are run.

Vw hen it is desired to attach the ground plate M directly to theceiling or wherever else it is to be attached, the same is access.

plished by use of screws inserted through the assages G. These passagesGare par- I ticu arly designed to permitof greater leeway in finding apurchase for. the screws H;

when they are inserted therethroughv as Will appear hereafter. In Fig.3;it will be noted that these passages are shown to taper inwardlytoward the lower portion of the block, thereby permitting of themovement of the screw point in an area equal to that of the area ofpassage G at that end of the block and so permitting of the greaterpossibility of the screw finding a suitablepurchase somewhere withinthat area, .the screws, of course, being inserted at any angle to thevertical without shifting the block.

The plate M may be called a ground plate 7 I the screw point to find apurchase.

, combination fixture.

The amount of space provided for finding a purchase for the screw H asshown for instance in Fig. 12 depends only on the amount of taper oi thesides of passage G;

the heads of the screw H being countersunk at J, in orderto prohibit anygrounding on the canopy, Fig. 8. I

The exterior sides K of the channels B are ordinarily closed, but theseclosed portions are adapted to be readily and easily'knocked out and thecable inserted through one or more channels as desired.

When it is desired to fit a crowfoot, or similar form of fixture, to theoutlet block, the same is fastened to block A by means of suitable boltsand nuts H inserted through holes L, located in the channels B. Theheads of said nuts are countersunk so as to give free slot movement andprohibit the possibility of any scraping along the channels B.

The ground plate M, shown in Fig. 4, is used particularly when it isdesired to make connections to a concealed outlet box or when the blockis used with a straight or Inthis instance 'the plate M is secured tothegas pipe M, Fig. 8, which passes through the outlet box as is usual.x

The nipple N, employed to attach the ground plate, (Fig. 6) is threadedon its exterior side and is slotted at suitable places as at 0, so as toallow contraction for binding,

and tapered so that when the lock-nut P is screwed thereon the innerside of the nipple will bind upon whatever itcircumscribes. Ground plateM, when .in/use, is held between the head N of the nipple and thelock-nut P, as showni'i Fig. 8, and the outlet block is attached to theground plate by screws inserted throughthe passages G into suitablescrew-threaded openings Q, in the ground plate. One of the advantages ofthe passages G is thus readily seen from the convenience with which thescrews H ma be inserted therethrough and up through the holes Q, ofplate M.

Near the edge of the late M are punched up portions R,-throug the upperstrip B of the metal molding until it hits the turned up portion whichacts as a stop therefor. The sides of the upper strip B are cut away asalso shown in Fig; 9 so that only the top piece of the strip is forcedbeneath the punched up portions R in the plate M and lie on top of thelatter against the turned n edge of the openings T. The positipn'o thestrips B and B which is inserted in Fig. 9 corresponds tothe-positionsof the and spliced as desired. These splices may be in theoutlet box S, concealed in the plaster W, or below it, as shown in Fig.8. lVhen it is desired to use the block in connection with a straightelectric outlet box,

the ground plate M is secured between the in connection With a tap for adrop. or portable light, no ground plate is needed, as is also-the casein exposed wiring, and the rosette cap V is suitably secured to theblock A by the bolts and nuts in the passages L, and the block itself isattached to the plaster or rafter W by means of the wood screws H. Asshown inFig. 12, the screws H are in an inclined position, as heretoforedescribed. In Fig. 1.2 I have shown in dotted lines the well knownarrangement, in arosette cap, by which any strain or pull on theportable light is not transmitted to the cables above.

,When, it is desired touse'theblock as a base block, itis preferablymade smaller. In such an arrangement, the block A has chan nels b which,however, areconstructed to connect with. channels a which run throughthe block; of course, a single central channel, as in Fig. 1, may beemployed, but in this instance I prefer the construction shown in Fig.14. The upper strip B of metal molding abuts against a stop f and thelower strip B against a stop e wheninserted, and

should it bedesired to carry the cables through two ormore channels thepieces K areaccordingly knocked out.. The block is fastened to the wallW" by means of suitable Wood screws H, and switches or other devices areattached to the block by means of screws H in the hole 2 in Figcl3.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings,the-operation of my invention will be radily understood and theadvantages in obviating the use of a large number of small parts, suchas single clamp bushings, set screws in the base plate, in the clampbushings and in the case cover,

insulation of canopy, insulating joint,

bodiments of my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by LettersPatent is:-

1. In a li hting fixture, the combination of an outlet lock, cable andmolding therefor, said outlet block comprisin channel portions throughwhich the cable is readily insertible, groves in said channel portionsadapted to act as stops to the cable molding, closig means for eachchannel which are adap I to be easily knocked out so as to permit theuse of one or more channels and means for permitting the readyattachment gf sacid block as desired without shifting the 2. In alighting fixture, an outlet block comprising channel portions havingdownwardly sloping bottoms, groves in said channel portions, closingmeans for each channel portion adapted to be readily knocked out,tapered holes and screws adapted to be in serted in said holes, thetapered holes permitting of the insertion of the screws in numerouspositions so that the block may be attached as desired without shifting.

3. In a lighting fixture, the combination of an outlet block, cable andcable molding, a ground plate therefor comprising bent up portions forholding strips of the said molding, turned-up portions adapted to act asstops for said strips of molding, openings for running the cable throughthe plate and means for readily attaching said plate to said block.

4. A lighting fixture, of the class deand box, means for fastening saidplate to said box comprising a nipple having an externally taperedthreaded slotted body portion, means attached to said box to which saidnipple may be attached and a lock-nut for said nipple.

5. A lighting fixture, of the class described, comprising in combinationa cable, cable moldings, an outlet block, a ground plate therefor and anoutlet box, means for attaching said outlet box to said ground plate,said ground plate having a turned-up portion adapted to act as a stop tostrips of said molding, said outlet block having groves to act as stopsto the other strips of said molding and said plate having a punched upportion adapted to have inserted therethrough strips of said molding,channels in said outlet block and openings in said ground plate forrunning the cable through threaded screw holes in said ground plate andmeans for readily attaching said outlet block to said ground platethrough said threaded screw holes.

In testimony thereof, I have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH GEORGE TURNBULL.

\Vitnesses:

SELMA HIRTENSTEIN, Josrrn L. YOUNG.

